Automatic float valve



Feb. 21, 1928. 1,659,859

7 o. E. cox

AUTOMATIC FLOAT VALVE Filed Nov. 15, 1925 "alpnllllzlnl.

Patented Feb. 21, 1928. 1,65%,859

UNITED STATES PATENT @jFFiCE.

OWEN E. COX, LOWELL, MASSAGH T J'SETTS.

AUTOMATIC FLOAT VALVE.

Application filed November 15, 1926. Serial No. 148,838.

This invention relates to automatic float advantages of prior practice and of providvalves. For the purpose of this application ing a valve which will automatically, and I shall show and discuss my valve in conin directly proportionate amount, replace the nection with an automatic oil feed system for oil used by the engine, I have devised my 5 internal combustion engines, but it is to be present invention. According to it, my

understood that such treatment is purely valve opens against rather than with the illustrative and in no way limiting and that pressure from the reserve tank so that the Imay employ my valve in any place where tendency of this pressure is at all times to an automatic valve is needed. maintain the valve tightly against its seat,

- In an automatic oil feed system of the and thus prevent leakage. When the float in kind contemplated herein, new oil is auto- .the float chamber drops, however, due to the matically admitted to the crank case to recorresponding lowering of the oil level in place the oil used by the engine, so that the the crank case, the valve automatically opens oil level in the crank case will be maintained to permit only somuch reserve oil from the 15 constant or practically constant at all times. reserve tank to pass through the float cham- To accomplish this, a gravity tank for reher and into the crank case as is necessary serve oil is mounted on the chassis and to restore the oil in the crank case to its prethrough a float chamber equipped with an determined operating level and then vautoautomatic valve admits reserve oil to the matically closes to prevent an over-supply crank case in proportion to the amount of of oil to'the crank case. This action is concrank case oil used up by the engine. tinuous and automatic so that the oil level 7 Much difliculty, however, has been experiin the crank case is maintained at all times enced with the automatic valve. Heretoconstant or practically constant. Strucfore, such valve has been arranged to open turally, my valve presents certain advan- 25 with the pressure from the reserve tank, and tageous features to the end that it will be inasmuch as the pressure is relatively considpositive and reliable in action. In particuerable as compared with the eflective action lar, my valve involves a simple and positive of the float on the valve, the valve cannot be arrangement of levers in the nature of a held against its seat tightly enough to precompound lever for transmitting'the movevent the oil from leaking therepast and flowment of the float in directly proportionate ing into the crank case in greater amount degree to the valve.

than is needed to maintain the crank case The construction and operation of my delevel constant. To overcome this objection, vice is described and illustrated in the acit has been proposed to counterbalance the companying specification and drawings, and float itself sufliciently to overcome the presthe particular features of novelty are pointed sure of the reserve oil against the valve. out'in the appended claims. In the draw- This expedient has not proved satisfactory, ings:

however, because the float when counter- Fig. 1-is a general view of an automatic weighted, proportionately lost its efficiency oil feed system of conventional type 40 as an operating lever to open the valve when equipped with an automatic float valve in the crank case oil level dropped. More accordance with my invention. 9 than this, the construction of the valve itself Fig. 2 is an elevation of the float valve, has been such as to require the use of an removed, the valve being in closed position.

elaborate system of levers and counter- Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section thereof 45 weights so that the valve did not operate and showing the valve opened.

with that degree of certainty which is re- In an automatic oil feed system of the 9K "quired in an automatic system of this charclass contemplated herein, the reserve oil is acter. contained in a reservoir 1 and feeds by av- To the end, therefore, of avoiding the dis itythrough a pipe 2 into a float cham er 3 by means of pipe 5.

According to my invention, the float valve, indicated tailed in 7 Figs. 2 and 3,'is so arranged within the float chamber 3 as to open; against the pressure of the oil from the reservoir 1.

The tendency of the valve is therefore'always towards its closed:p.osition,.that to.-

. say, the pressure tends constantly to mainthe, crank case; since with myvalve the crank tain the valve against its seat-andthu-s'-pre-- vent leakage therepast. such however that the when. the level of the T e onstruction i voir lto. flow therepastinto the crankcase "in direct. proportion; to the amountused. up

by the enginaand instantly closes when the crank; case level has been restored to preventfan over-supply of" oil to the crank 0. .3

This. insures that the crank case oil will at all -tiinesbe maintained at the level at ,which the engine operates with greatest efficiency, and avoids the dangers, due to eitherover supply or under supply of oil in case oil' is augmented strictly in proportion to, its depletion or in other words, with drop by-drop exactness.

valve is of the horizontally arranged sliding type,,an,d includes a valve casing 6 which. is mounted to projectthrough one of its: outerthreaded the side walls end; is formed as an exteriorly nipple 7 adapted to connect with .the discharge, end of the pipe 2 from the 7 oil' reservoin,

1a horizontally sliding valve stem '9, which is. reduced beyond: said bushing, indi and terminates at its outer end casing is hushed at 8. to provide a guide for cated at 10 ,in anflinwardly beveled head' 11. The valve casing sea .2.;

vertical partition 12 which 'is' axially pierced as at 1 3 and on its outertface is provided with an inwardly beveled seat 12' for the correspondingly beveledhe acl 11 ot the valve 7 so I stein.. Z I I The pressure of the oil. from'the'reserve tank I normally forces the valve against its When. the valve is opened, however, as, indicated in Fig, 3, the oilif'rom, the reserve tank passes. through the opening 13 in the parti ion 12,;which opening is of greater diameter than the reduced portion. 10 of the valve-stem 8 so as to permit'pas-.

' sageiot the oil therepast, and into thecham- I immediately behind theber 14 which. is formed in the valve casing part tio ,This chamber isvented as at 1 5. and is pro vided at itslower' sidewith'a discharge port lfiopening into'the float chamber,

The valve is opened and closed according generally at V in Fig. land de-' valve instantly opens j crank ca e oi d Qp whereby to permit reserveoil from; the 'reserthe float, chamber and crank ingly lowered, and thisof the float chamber. and at At itsopposite-end, the. valve between its ends is formed with a to the movement of a float 17 which is provided with an arm 18 pivoted at 19 toa hanger 6 depending from the valve casing 6. V

The motion transmitting connections from the float to the valve may be of any desired type, but as here shown comprise a 'com-- poundf lever including a. bell crank 20-27 pivoted at-22 to an arm 23' extending from the valve casing and linked at 24 to the arnr 18. cit-the; float.. I

This system of leverage is at once simple and positive in action and insures that the promptly and accurately re- 'sponsive to float movements.

valve will be In operation, so long as the oil level in ase'- eq a the valve will be closed and will be held closed by the pressure of the reserve oil from tank 1'. Upon a drop the crank c se oil level,'however, the levelfof the oilin the float chamber and the float will be correspondm ment cf, the

fl'oattthrough the motion transinitting connections from the float to the valvefwill 1 open the valve against the pressure of the reserve oil a' distance proportionateto the drop ofthefloat. As soon as the crank case oil is raised to. its-original level by the admission ofthe reserve oil, the float will operate to again close the valve.

. This operation is. continuousand auto- .matic and on account of the positiveaction of the. motion transmitting connections bethat the tendency of the reserve oil pressure is to maintain th V valve seated, the Valve-is unusually sensitive and positive, permitting an automatic replenishment of crank case oil practically in dropbydr0p proportion to tween the float and the valve and the fact.

its depletion.

modifications in the construction rious v and operation of my ClGVlCG may obv ously be'resorted to ifwvithin the limits of. the

app d claims.

' l Vl 1at I" therefore claim and desireto secure by Letters: Patent is: v

1. In an automatic oil feed oft-he class described, in combination, a crank case,. a

float chamber, and a reserve reservoir adapted to be placed n communlcation with the crankcase through the floatchamber, an

automatic valve in said float chamber opening against the pressure of the reserve oil from the reserve tank and normally: held to its, seat by such pressure, and a float in said float chamber responslve to variations in the oil level of the crank case and a pivoted connected to said float," a link carried by said arm, and a bellcranklever pivoted to saidcasi'ng and operatively connecte'dtd said link and to said valve.

'2. In an automatic fl'oat valve, a float,

chamber, a floatin saidchamber,a valve casing'provided with a partition presenting an outwardly faced valve seat and with a eluding an arm connected to said float and valve chamber having an outlet port openpivoted to 5 id valve casing, a link carried ing therefrom into said float chamber, a by said arm, and a bell crank lever pivoted 10 valve stem slidable axially through said to said casing and operatively connected to casing and having a valve head adapted to' said link and to said valve stem.

engage said seat, and a motion-transmitting In testimony whereof gaflix my signature.

connection between said float and stem 1n- WEN E. COX. 

